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Biostimulation by methanol enables the methylotrophic yeasts Hansenula polymorpha and Trichosporon sp. to reveal high formaldehyde biodegradation potential as well as to adapt to this toxic pollutant

  • Applied microbial and cell physiology
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Abstract

The methylotrophic yeasts Hansenula polymorpha and Trichosporon sp. revealed enhanced biodegradation capability of exogenously applied formaldehyde (Fd) upon biostimulation achieved by the presence of methanol, as compared to glucose. Upon growth on either of the above substrates, the strains proved to produce the activity of glutathione-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase—the enzyme known to control the biooxidative step of Fd detoxification. However, in the absence of methanol, the yeasts’ tolerance to Fd was decreased, and the elevated sensitivity was especially pronounced for Trichosporon sp. Both strains responded to the methanol and/or Fd treatment by increasing their unsaturation index (UI) at xenobiotic levels below minimal inhibitory concentrations. This indicated that the UI changes effected from the de novo synthesis of (poly) unsaturated fatty acids carried out by viable cells. It is concluded that the yeast cell response to Fd intoxication involves stress reaction at the level of membranes. Fluidization of the lipid bilayer as promoted by methanol is suggested as a significant adaptive mechanism increasing the overall fitness enabling to cope with the formaldehyde xenobiotic via biodegradative pathway of C1-compound metabolism.

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Acknowledgments

This work was partially supported by the European Commission within its Seventh Framework Program Project BACSIN (Contract no. 211684). This work contributed to the CITE Research Programme of the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Horticulture, University of Agriculture in Kraków, Al. 29 Listopada 54, 31-425, Krakow, Poland

    Paweł Kaszycki & Tomasz Walski

  2. Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany

    Nancy Hachicho & Hermann J. Heipieper

Authors
  1. Paweł Kaszycki
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  2. Tomasz Walski
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  3. Nancy Hachicho
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  4. Hermann J. Heipieper
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Correspondence to Hermann J. Heipieper.

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Kaszycki, P., Walski, T., Hachicho, N. et al. Biostimulation by methanol enables the methylotrophic yeasts Hansenula polymorpha and Trichosporon sp. to reveal high formaldehyde biodegradation potential as well as to adapt to this toxic pollutant. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 97, 5555–5564 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-013-4796-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-013-4796-y

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